Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Gu Beixian’s grip on the documents tightened as he continued reading.

Gu Jinyao was the Young Master of Zhengrong Auction House. His father’s name was Gu Zhengrong.

Gu Zhengrong was the primary founder and largest shareholder of Zhengrong Auction House. The auction house was a subsidiary of Jingdu Zhengrong Arts and Crafts Import-Export Company, with an annual turnover in the tens of billions. It was one of the largest antique auction houses in Jingdu.

Perhaps Gu Zhengrong was too low-profile, or perhaps he didn’t operate much within the country, because Gu Beixian hadn’t heard much about the man. However, a family like that certainly didn’t lack money.

He stared at the documents, lost in thought.

Three years ago, Su Hua hadn’t chosen her Ay Yao; she had chosen him. Back then, he had suffered spinal nerve damage in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He had nothing but money.

The main reason Su Hua married him was that her family was desperate for money, so he had always assumed Ah Yao was just some penniless boy. Looking at the files now, this Gu Jinyao didn’t seem like someone who lacked funds.

Seeing him clutching the stack of papers with a silent frown, Gu Aoting leaned over and asked, “What are you looking at?”

Gu Beixian replied casually, “Nothing. Just had someone pull some files.”

He calmly folded the documents and set them aside.

Gu Aoting was sharp-eyed and caught a glimpse of the name “Gu Zhengrong.” After a brief moment of reflection, he said, “Gu Zhengrong… I know a bit about him. By seniority, I should call him my elder cousin. His grandfather and my grandfather were cousins, but their branch of the family emigrated many years ago, and we gradually grew apart.”

To Gu Beixian, this sounded like a relative so distant they might as well be strangers. Because of Su Hua, he had no desire to be related to Gu Jinyao anyway.

Gu Aoting asked, “Why are you looking into him?”

“Checking for a friend,” Gu Beixian brushed it off with a random excuse.

By now, the business talk was over, and the meal was nearly finished. The group rose to leave.

Gu Aoting stopped Gu Beixian. “You should drive Suosuo home.”

Gu Beixian’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. “When we came here, you said Suosuo was near the office and asked me to pick her up on the way. Now that she’s going home, she should take Uncle Chu’s car. They’re family; it’s more convenient than me driving her.”

Gu Aoting’s face darkened instantly, but he couldn’t lash out in front of Chu Yanru and his subordinates.

Being rejected so bluntly by Gu Beixian in front of so many people made Chu Suosuo feel humiliated, and her resentment toward Su Hua deepened. If it weren’t for the coincidental timing of Su Hua’s grandmother’s death, the two of them would have divorced long ago.

In her heart, she cursed Su Hua and her grandmother over and over again.

Outside the hotel, Gu Beixian instructed his assistant, “Check Su Hua’s recent call logs. See if there are any unfamiliar numbers.”

His assistant was highly efficient. By the time Gu Beixian was almost home, he received a call back.

When he answered, the assistant said, “President Gu, the Young Mistress’s call logs only consist of a few people. Aside from family, there’s Shen Huai, Shen Yuan, Aunt Liu, the property management office, and courier companies. There’s no one else.”

Gu Beixian’s gloomy expression softened slightly. It seemed the two of them hadn’t been in contact privately.

When he returned home, Su Hua was sitting on the sofa reading an ancient book. Hearing the door open and catching the scent of alcohol, she thought Gu Beixian was drunk.

She stood up quickly and walked over to the shoe cabinet, bending down to get his slippers for him. This was a habit she had formed long ago.

Gu Beixian held her arm, stopping her gently. “I haven’t had too much to drink, and my legs have long since recovered. You don’t need to look after me like you used to. You are my wife.”

Not a maid, he thought, though he didn’t say the second half aloud, as Su Hua’s previous role had essentially been that of a maid.

Su Hua pursed her lips and stood still. She was still harboring a bit of anger because he had shared a car with Chu Suosuo.

Gu Beixian changed his shoes himself. Su Hua helped him take off his watch and then moved to help him out of his suit jacket.

Helping him with the jacket was just a pretense; she actually wanted to see if Chu Suosuo had left any suggestive marks on him. As she pulled the jacket off, she discreetly checked his collar for lipstick stains and even gave a light sniff, trying to see if there was any perfume on him to judge if Chu Suosuo had hugged him, and where.

She thought she was hiding it well, but Gu Beixian saw right through her.

Finding it amusing, he leaned down and gently rubbed his nose against hers, teasing, “Why are you sniffing around like a little puppy?”

Caught in the act, Su Hua felt a wave of embarrassment. Without a word, she turned her back to him and hung his jacket on the nearby rack.
Gu Beixian guessed her little thoughts and said, “When we went to the hotel, it was my father who called and arranged for Chu Suosuo to get into my car. As soon as she got in, I told her that I’m a married man and asked her to keep her distance to avoid unnecessary trouble. During dinner, she wanted to sit next to me, but I found an excuse to avoid it. After dinner, my father asked me to drop her off, and I refused that too. Huahua, I’m very committed to my ‘husbandly duties.’ If you don’t believe me, you can check the dashcam in my car or ask my assistant.”

Since he put it that way, it was naturally the truth.

The lingering resentment in Su Hua’s heart vanished, replaced by a touch of emotion.

She was moved that he was willing to go against Gu Aoting for her sake.

That was his father, the man who held the power over his future.

Su Hua reached out and silently hugged him. She wanted to say something affectionate to praise him, but the more she tried to force it, the more she found herself at a loss for words.

She really didn’t have much talent for flirting.

Her grandparents’ relationship had been very subtle; they only showed their love through silent actions. Her parents had divorced early, and her mother’s fiery personality meant that asking her to say something sweet was harder than getting her to take a beating-though sharp-tongued retorts came to her easily.

Su Hua had learned quite a bit from that environment, which she had put to use when dealing with Chu Suosuo.

She hugged Gu Beixian for a long time, racking her brain, but she couldn’t squeeze out a single word.

Gu Beixian knew her personality. He raised his hand to stroke her head and said in a softened voice, “It’s okay. Love isn’t something you say; it’s something you do.”

His words were far too easy to misinterpret. Su Hua’s ears burned, and her face flushed crimson.

Embarrassed, she turned and walked away.

After they both showered, they climbed into bed.

Gu Beixian unbuttoned Su Hua’s pajamas and began kissing her along her snow-white shoulders.

Su Hua’s mouth said “no,” but her whole body tingled as if an electric current had passed through her, turning her soft in an instant.

Her hands feebly pushed against his, her head tilted to one side. Her dark, silky hair spilled across the pillow like a storm cloud, and her cherry-red lips parted slightly.

As the kisses continued, the hands that had been pushing him away eventually found their way around his waist.

The two became entangled…

Afterward, Gu Beixian held her and said, “Starting these next few days, I’m going to quit smoking and drinking. Let’s prepare to have a child.”

This was the second time he had brought up having children.

Su Hua didn’t actually want a child.

She still felt no sense of security in this marriage. However, remembering her mother’s advice to give it her best effort so she wouldn’t regret it later, she nodded and said, “Okay.”

Gu Beixian’s dark eyes suddenly lit up, as if flecked with starlight.

He pulled her into his arms, seemingly in disbelief. “You’re really willing to have a child for me?”

Su Hua hesitated for a moment. “Let’s give it a try.”

Gu Beixian gave her a firm kiss on the lips, his fingers brushing against her fair shoulder. “Let’s have a son. If the first one is a boy, we won’t need a second. Giving birth is too much suffering.”

Su Hua played along and said, “Alright.”

Gu Beixian ruffled her hair and smiled. “Then it’ll be hard on you.”

“It’s what I should do,” Su Hua murmured, snuggling into his chest. However, Gu Aoting’s face-gloomy and dark as charcoal-flashed through her mind.

She was truly afraid that if she had a child, Gu Aoting would still tear them apart. It would be the child who suffered then, growing up without a father or a mother.

After falling asleep, Su Hua began to dream again.

She dreamed of thirteen years ago, when she went to the hospital to see Ah Yao one last time.

He was lying in the hospital bed, covered in injuries, an oxygen mask over his face. He watched her with dark, melancholy eyes, his gaze as heavy and painful as deep water.

Su Hua’s heart ached with grief. Just as she was about to walk toward him, Ah Yao suddenly vanished.

Frantic, she searched everywhere like a headless fly. She couldn’t find Ah Yao, but Gu Beixian appeared as if from the heavens.

He held her, cupped her face, and kissed her tenderly, saying, “Come home with me. We’ll have a child, and I’ll be good to you.”

In her sleep, Su Hua instinctively burrowed into Gu Beixian’s embrace. Clutching his waist, she murmured softly, “Beixian…”

Gu Beixian, who hadn’t fallen asleep yet, heard that low call. The ice that had congested his heart all night melted instantly.

In three years, this was the first time she had called his name in her sleep.

Finally, it wasn’t that curse-like name, “Ay Yao.”

He wrapped his arms around her, the corners of his lips turning up, his eyes shimmering like the stars.